The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-10-11

NJ dCC6pG LQ6 revelations OF the blDlS
re divided into many separate church
EXAMINATIONS by reason of diverse in
| terpretations. Then, in the close of The
most enlightened century in the tide of
time, shall we invoke legal coercion
over the consciences of men and resort
to the pains and penalties inflicted in
! former times for recusancy, non CON
formity, apostacy and heresy2
In this age the world moves; and
even religious fanatics must keep pace
with progress. The Utah of to-day is
| not, and never can be again, what il
was when Brigham Young, as prophet,
seer and revelator, dominated over his
devoted followers, isolated from I'll the
world. in the secluded valleys Of the
Rocky Mountains; nor, in our opinion,
can that fading and dissolYing spectre
OF the past be justly or properly in
yOked as an eXCltative to legislation
proscriptive of religious opinion. The
railroad and the telegraph, free speech
and free press, are there now. Schools
and colleges and churches of many de-
nominations are found in all parts of
the Territory. The people are no longer
isolated, but are now in communication
with all the world; and Salt Lake City
is one of the most cosmopolitan places
on the continent, resort for tourist,
saVants, statesmen and scholars from
abroad. Under such circumstances is
1t not morally impossible that Utah
shall ever again become subj ect to that
church domination and oppression
which are now imputed, by some per
sons, as al existing reality against the
Mormon teirarchy2"
Churches and creeds are subject to
q n m
must Weld to the in xorable logic of
of civilization. Polygamy must go, and
its abrogation will sooner or later be an
accomplished fact. Other objection
able features are gradually giving way;
and we are thoroughly satisfied that
whatever The federal authorities can
rightfully accomplish in the way of re-
form can be done without resorting to
the total overthrow of local self-goV-
eminent
Polygamous marriages in Utah are
becoming less frequent, as will herein
after be shown. No poiygamist votes,
holds Office or sits on jury. The mass
OF the. MormOns have taken the test
oath and voted against polygamy. The
conclusion is that the present laws
of Congress are working successfully,
that there is no necessity of resortlng
to un-American plans of government,
and that if, as we apprehend, the OBJ
ject of the government is to reform and
not to destroy the Mormon people,
they should be encouraged and not
spurned in their efforts for the abroga
ton of pOlygamy and for reform.
During the last two years and half,
there has been no relaxation in the en-
forcement of the laws for the suppress
sion Of polygamy. During that period
there have been about three hundred
offences against those laws, which, not
WithStanding the signs of reform,
should continue to be enforced against
all persons violating them; no step
backward should be tolerated; al the
same time the innocent should be
protected.
In a larger view, polygamy is ad
judged by the most enlightened nations
10 be g manifold evil. 1t is the parent
of caprice, cruelty and license. 1t en-
nervates the male and degrades the
female. Socially, politically and ply
sicaity, it is c0rrupting and deteriOrat-
ing. Despotic in the family, it is the
prototype of despotism in the govern
ment. 1t largely accounts for the diff
feIing Characteristic of the AsiallC
and European; for the Incidence and
feebleneSs of the one, and the energy
and enterprise of the other. InferiOrity
is its badge. In the armed contests OF
rival civilizations, alike in ancient
Greece and modern India, it suCcumbed
to the superiority of mOnogamy. Is 1t
at variance with the divine economy IN
that, originally God created but one
man and one woman, Adam and Eve,
each as the only partner in wedlock of
the other. Logically and as conse-
quence, it is irreconcilable to the idea OF
the marriage covenant as practlced
and revered by the masterful Teuton,
Celt and Anglo Saxon. That covenant
runs i'll these comprehensive and
searching words:
thy welded wife, to live together after
GODS ordinance in the holy estate
of matrimony2 Wilt thou love her,
comfort her, honor her, and keep her
in sickness and health; and forsaking
all others keep thee unto her, so long as
ye both shall live?"
Recognizing polygamy to be an evil
and bane, Congress has, from time to
time, enacted laws to eradicate it from
Utah. One of them, known as the
"Edmunds law" approved March 22d,
1882, "re-enacted and extended the
provisions of those of earlier date. It
declares polygamy crime, defines the
same and Furnishes its commission by
fine not exceeding $500, and imprison-
ment not exceeding five years declares
cohabitation by The man with more
than one woman a misdemeanor, pun
ishable by fine of not more than $500,
or by imprisonment for not more than
SIX months, or by both in the discretion
of the court, and allows joinder of
counts for polygamy and unlawful CO.
habitation in the same information or
indictment;
Disquslifes any person from serving
as juror in any prosecution for polyg-
amy or unlawful cohabitation Who Is,
or mas been, living in the practice OF
bigamy, polygamy or unlawful cohabi-
ration with more than one woman, or
who believes it right for a man to have
more than one living and undiyorced
wife at the same time, or who believes
it right to live in the practice of coha-
bitation with more than one woman,
upon his being challenged for any such
cause;
:, Authorizes the President to grant alb
solute or limited or conditional am
nesty to offenders against any such pre-
vi0usiV aDarfed laws.